Al-Masad

Quran
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Sūrat al-Masad (Arabic: سورة المسد‎‎, meaning "The Palm Fiber") is the 111th chapter (Sura) of the Quran with 5 verses. Verse 1 mentions one of Muhammad's adversaries named Abu Lahab.^[1] This surah takes its name from verse 5 in which the phrase “ḥablun min masad” (meaning “a rope of palm fibre”) occurs that mentions the palm fibre rope that in hellfire shall be twisted around the neck of the wife of Muhammad’s uncle, who bitterly opposed Islam; for she took great pride in wearing an ostentatious necklace she became known for and would slip by night to strew thorns and prickly plants in Muhammad’s path to injure his feet.^[2][3][4]

Text and Translation

Surah Al-Masadd in Hadith

Since this is the only place in the Quran where an enemy of Islam has been condemned by name, the study of hadith is pivotal to grasp the special trait of the character of this person, which became the basis of this condemnation by name, as Ḥadīth (حديث) is literally "speech"; recorded saying or tradition of Muhammad validated by isnad; with sira these comprise the sunnah and reveal shariah.

• Narrated Ibn Abbas: Abu Lahab said, "May you perish! Is it' for this that you have gathered us?" So there was revealed: 'Perish the hands of Abu Lahab'.^[6][7][8]
• Narrated Ibn Abbas: When the Verse: 'And warn your tribe of near-kindred (26:214), was revealed, the Prophet (Mohammed) ascended the Safa (mountain) and started calling, "O Bani Fihr! O Bani `Adi!" addressing various tribes of Quraish till they were assembled. Those who could not come themselves, sent their messengers to see what was there. Abu Lahab and other people from Quraish came and the Prophet then said, "Suppose I told you that there is an (enemy) cavalry in the valley intending to attack you, would you believe me?" They said, "Yes, for we have not found you telling anything other than the truth." He then said, "I am a warner to you in face of a terrific punishment." Abu Lahab said (to the Prophet) "May your hands perish all this day. Is it for this purpose you have gathered us?" Then it was revealed: "Perish the hands of Abu Lahab (one of the Prophet's uncles), and perish he! His wealth and his children will not profit him...." (111.1-5)^{[9][10][11][12][13][14][15]}

• Narrated Jundub bin Sufyan: Once Allah's Messenger became sick and could not offer his night prayer (Tahajjud) for two or three nights. Then a lady (the wife of Abu Lahab) came and said, "O Muhammad! I think that your satan has forsaken you, for I have not seen him with you for two or three nights!" On that Allah revealed: 'By the fore-noon, and by the night when it darkens, your Lord (O Muhammad) has neither forsaken you, nor hated you.' (93.1-3^[16]).^[17][18][19]
• According to Ibn /jarir: One day Abu Lahab asked the Holy Prophet: "If I were to accept your religion, what would I get?" The Holy Prophet replied: "You would get what the other believers would get." He said: "Is there no preference or distinction for me?" The Holy Prophet replied: "What else do you want?" Thereupon he said: "May this religion perish in which I and all other people should be equal and alike!".^[20]
• Rabiah bin Abbad ad- Dill related: "I was a young boy when I accompanied my father to the face of Dhul-Majaz. There I saw the Holy Messenger (may peace be upon him) who was exhorting the people, saying: 'O people, say: there is no deity but Allah, you will attain success.' Following behind him I saw a man, who was telling the people, `This fellow is a liar: he has gone astray from his ancestral faith.' I asked; who is he? The people replied: He is his uncle, Abu Lahab."^[21][22][23]
• Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi was a widely read and very influential, a 20th-century Islamist political philosopher, journalist, Islamic scholar, Muslim revivalist leader (1903–1979), in his tafsir Tafhim al-Qur'an relates^[24] In Makkah Abu Lahab was the next door neighbor of the Holy Prophet. Their houses were separated by a wall. Besides him, Hakam bin As (Father of Marwan), Uqbah bin Abi Muait, Adi bin Hamra and Ibn al-Asda il-Hudhali also were his neighbors. These people did not allow him to have peace even in his own house. Sometimes when he was performing the Prayer, they would place the goat's stomach on him; sometimes when food was being cooked in the courtyard, they would throw filth at the cooking pot. The Holy Prophet would sometimes come out and say: "O Bani Abdi Manaf, what kind of neighborliness is it?"Abu Lahab's wife, Umm Jamil (Abu Sufyan's sister), had made it a practice to cast thorns at his door in the night so that when he or his children came out of the house at dawn, they should run thorns in the foot.^[25]
• When Muhammad’s son Qasim ibn Muhammad died in 605, Abu Lahab came out of his house screaming and dancing. And he says Batara Muhammadun – Muhammed has had his lineage cut off.^[26][27] Ata ibn Abi Rabah reported same happening when the second son of the Holy Prophet died.^[28]

References